EU accession, cooperation in focus of meeting between Georgian FM, bloc’s officials
The meetings highlighted efforts made by the Georgian Government in the context of the EU enlargement policy, reflected both in the report prepared by the country and in the oral assessment of the European Commission. Photo: MFA of Georgia
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The process of Georgia's accession to the European Union, the current agenda of the cooperation between the sides and future steps were discussed on Wednesday in a meeting between the Georgian Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili and Oliver Varhelyi, the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.
In the framework of his working visit to Brussels, Darchiashvili also met Gert Jan Koopman, the head of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, the Georgian foreign office said.
At the meeting with EU Commissioner @OliverVarhelyi, we focused on ????????'s progress on the path to ???????? accession, as well as on the implementation of 12 recommendations. I hope that ????????'s efforts to join the European Union will be properly recognized in the 2023 enlargement report. pic.twitter.com/btXJErkSWH
— Ilia Darchiashvili (@iliadarch) July 19, 2023
The meetings highlighted efforts made by the Georgian Government in the context of the EU enlargement policy, reflected both in the report prepared by the country and in the oral assessment of the European Commission.
The officials reviewed the current progress in implementing the bloc’s conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status later this year, with the reforms carried out in various directions being “positively” assessed.
They also gave a positive assessment to “all directions” of Georgia-EU cooperation, with “special attention” paid to the steps taken in terms of sectoral and economic integration and future plans.
Very good meeting with @eu_near Director-General @GertJanEU. We exchanged views on Georgia's European integration and expressed readiness to work closely. I'll be glad to host Director-General to Georgia. pic.twitter.com/d5LNcbQplh
— Ilia Darchiashvili (@iliadarch) July 19, 2023
The meetings also emphasised the “important” role of Georgia and the strategic function of the country in terms of connectivity, and “positively” noted the projects implemented in the transit direction within the framework of the concept of the Middle Corridor logistics route connecting Central Asia with Europe through Georgia.
The discussion also touched on the security environment and geopolitical challenges in the Black Sea region, with the parties exchanging opinions on steps for “further progress” on the path of Georgia's integration into the EU.
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Gert Jan Koopman, the head of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, on Wednesday said the Commission welcomed the Georgian Government’s “keen interest” in making “further progress” on the bloc’s conditions for granting the country the membership candidate status later this year.
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